Electrical equipment, such as amplifiers, taps, and other cable television equipment, typically includes a number of electronic components, such as positive temperature coefficient (PTC) devices, that may be situated near metallic or conductive surfaces. Such electronic components, in particular a PTC device, can be hot to the touch after operation of the electrical equipment for a period of time. Many of the electronic components also include surface materials that are electrically conductive during operation of the electrical equipment. In such a situation, mounting the electronic component near conductive surfaces of the electrical equipment can, if contact is made, cause operational problems and cause failure of the electronic components and other components within the equipment. If this should occur, removal and replacement of the component can be difficult since the high temperature of the component can render removal thereof both painful and unsafe.
Thus, what is needed is a way to prevent shorting of electrically conductive components and to provide for safe removal of such components when necessary.